Artist Chintan Upadhyay, accused of murdering wife and her lawyer, applies for interim bail

Artist Chintan Upadhyay, who is facing charges for allegedly murdering his wife Hema and her lawyer Haresh Bhambani, moved the Dindoshi sessions court for interim

Artist Chintan Upadhyay, who is facing charges for allegedly murdering his wife Hema and her lawyer Haresh Bhambani, moved the Dindoshi sessions court for interim bail on Thursday, citing the spread of Covid-19 at Thane jail, where he is currently lodged.

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Special public prosecutor Vaibhav Baghade said that the plea is scheduled for hearing on August 31, when the prosecution will have to submit its reply over the accused’s bail application.

Vijay Rajbhar, another accused in the case, too, has moved a plea for interim bail, which will also be heard on August 31.

Chintan was arrested on December 22, 2015 for the murders. Hema and Bhambani were allegedly smothered with a chloroform-laced cloth by another accused in the case, Vidhyadhar Rajbhar, at his warehouse on December 11, 2015.

The alleged murderers then packed the bodies of the victims in cardboard boxes and dumped them in a sewer at Kandivli. The bodies were found a day later.

The police believe that Vidhyadhar, who has been absconding since the murder, committed the crime at the behest of Upadyay. Vidhyadhar’s last call was reportedly traced to a location in Jammu.

Police officers also claimed that Upadyay used a mediator — whose identity has not been established — to arrange meetings with the other suspects in the months leading up to the murders.